CVE-2025-21238
Published: 14 January 2025
Summary
CVE-2025-21238 is a high-severity Heap-based Buffer Overflow (CWE-122) vulnerability in Microsoft Windows 10 1507. Its CVSS base score is 8.8 (High).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploitation of Remote Services (T1210); ranked in the top 28.6% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
The strongest mitigations our analysis identified are NIST 800-53 SI-2 (Flaw Remediation) and CM-7 (Least Functionality).
Threat & Defense at a Glance
Threat & Defense Details
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5)AI
Directly mandates timely identification, reporting, and correction of flaws such as CVE-2025-21238 via patching to prevent remote code execution in Windows Telephony Service.
Restricts the system to least functionality by disabling or limiting the non-essential Windows Telephony Service, reducing exposure to this RCE vulnerability.
Enforces memory protections like ASLR and DEP to mitigate stack-based buffer overflow (CWE-122) exploitation leading to RCE in the telephony service.
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise TechniquesAI
Why these techniques?
RCE in Windows Telephony Service with AV:N allows direct exploitation of a remote service (T1210) resulting in arbitrary command execution (T1059).
NVD Description
Windows Telephony Service Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
Deeper analysisAI
CVE-2025-21238 is a Remote Code Execution vulnerability affecting the Windows Telephony Service. Published on 2025-01-14, it carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.8 (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H) and is associated with CWE-122 and NVD-CWE-noinfo.
The vulnerability enables remote exploitation over the network with low attack complexity and no required privileges, though it necessitates user interaction. A successful attack allows an unauthenticated attacker to achieve high impacts on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, resulting in remote code execution on the targeted system.
Microsoft's update guide provides details on mitigation and patching for this vulnerability at https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2025-21238.
Details
- CWE(s)